1 August 2014 - BIANCA C. ROSS - Guest Author

Welcome to an interview conducted with an Australian author - Bianca C. Ross. How did I learn about Bianca you may ask? Well, I saw a feature article about her in our local newspaper and here she is.

Welcome, Bianca ...

1. TELL
US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR WRITING JOURNEY.

I
was lucky enough to grow up in a house with a backyard veggie patch and fruit
trees. Every summer we would pick peaches and stew and freeze the ones that we
couldn’t eat for the winter.

I’ve
always loved food and I forged a marketing career in multinational food
companies across the dairy and juice industries. After almost a decade, I
switched to advertising where I worked on marketing strategies for clients.

I’ve
always written, and my earliest writing was a travel diary that I kept on a
trip with my parents when I was five. It was illustrated as well, and while my
drawing skills have not improved, I hope that my writing has!

2. WHEN AND HOW
DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?

Part
of my job in marketing and advertising was to write copy for presentations. I
spent time with professional copywriters and gleaned many insights for how to
write. And I hope that some of these rubbed off!

3.
WHAT
TYPE OF PREPARATION DO YOU DO FOR A MANUSCRIPT? DO YOU PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST OR
JUST SHOOT FROM THE HIP?

I
start by setting aside a set amount of time – say two hours. I dedicate that
time to planning or writing, even if I’m feeling low on inspiration! I find if
I am disciplined, the thoughts will come.

For
the manuscript preparation, I put together a skeleton plan for where I want the
story to begin and end. I let the ideas germinate and I’m not afraid to change
up the order. I figure my writing is a liquid document, and as the story
unravels, the chronological order of events can change.

And
I’m not afraid to cull! This perhaps stems back from my childhood watching my
Mum, Dad and Nan pruning fruit trees…!

4. WHAT DO YOU
ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

The
privilege of people spending their time reading my writing.

5. WHAT
IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

Making
sure that I write the very best story I can.

6. WHAT WERE YOU
IN A PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOU BECAME A WRITER?

A
rockstar!

7. WHAT
IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?

Receiving
thank you notes from children and their parents who are reading Herbert Peabody and His Extraordinary
Vegetable Patch

8. WHAT ARE YOU
WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?

Herbie’s
second adventure, and various articles about the need for children to
understand where their fruit and vegetables come from.

9. WHAT INSPIRES
YOU?

Seasonal
food, the hope that children will be inspired to grow their own food, and
seeing that come to life.

10. WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?

Children’s
fiction, and newspaper and magazine articles.

11. DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW
WRITERS?

Set
aside a block of time each day to write. Even if it’s twenty minutes, it will
become a healthy habit and help to nurture your thoughts that in turn will help
your writing.

12. DO YOU SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?

Yes,
but I find that a disciplined and dedicated approach helps me focus and soon
the ideas form and I can start to write them down.

13. DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED WRITING
SCHEDULE?

Early
morning is the best time for me. Anywhere from 5am to 7am.

I
wrote my first book while I was working full time, so early mornings were my
best opportunity to get into the characters’ world, and it is now my favourite
time of the day.

14. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE
WRITING PLACE?

I
am lucky as I have the ability to focus solely on my writing wherever I am – I
am quite good at blocking out distraction! For me, the time of day seems to
have more of an influence.

15. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING?

Putting
words together to evoke a feeling.

16. WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND
WHY?

Ernest Hemingway.
His writing is beautifully simple and you feel as though you are there with
him.

17. WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU
EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER?

A
note from a parent to say that her eight year old daughter skipped her
favourite TV show and went to bed early to read two chapters of Herbie’s story!

18. WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A
READER?

A
parent who told me that they knew all about growing vegetables so didn’t need
to buy my book!

19. WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY
THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?

Yes.
My experiences greatly influence my writing.

20. OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU
LOVE?

Singing,
dancing and eating.

21. DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK / BOOKS
PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION?

Yes.
And my biggest tip for new writers is to find an editor who will become your
mentor.

22. DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.

5:30am
– Wake up

5:40am
– Start writing

7am
– Coffee and keep writing!

7:45am
– power walk

8:45am
– brekkie

9:30am
– meetings to promote my book or working on strategies to grow the reach
through sales channels

4:00pm
– finalise any outstanding work

7:00pm
– dinner with my husband

9:00pm
– watch an episode of a great TV series

10:00pm
– bed!

23. IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND
WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? WHY?

My
husband. He’s my best friend… mostly!

24. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU HAD THE
CHANCE TO SPEAK TO WORLD LEADERS?

That
children are the most important people on the planet and we need to make sure
they are looked after.

25. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

Write
at least five books in the Herbert
Peabody series

26. WHAT FIVE BOOKS WOULD YOU TAKE TO
HEAVEN?

“A
Moveable Feast,” Ernest Hemingway

“Hop
on Pop,” Dr Seuss

The
Bible – although there would be a copy there already I suppose!

“Anne
of Green Gables,” LM Montgomery

“Wuthering
Heights,” Emily Bronte

27. DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR
CHARACTERS?

Yes!
Herbie’s sister Henrietta is enthusiastic and a bit nutty… like me!

28. DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY
FRUSTRATE YOU?

It
seems to be like any industry – there are fabulous aspects as well as tedious
ones. After initial interest from publishers, I was lucky enough to
self-publish. I wanted a particular look and feel to the book and the best way
to achieve this was to do it myself.

29. DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING?

Never.
I don’t believe in quitting or giving up, ever!

30. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MANUSCRIPT
TO WRITE? WHY?

I
enjoy writing each manuscript that I work on. Each one is unique and it’s as
though they become a friend. When you’re writing, you’re finding out about
them. And when you’ve finished and you go back to read through it, it’s like
catching up for a coffee with someone you know very well.

31. HOW WOULD YOU
DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER.

Experiencing
the feelings you’ve aimed to create when you read your manuscript.

32. WHAT SHOULD READERS WALK AWAY FROM
YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL?

That
with some hard work and a little bit of magic, extraordinary things can happen!

33. HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO DESIGNING
A BOOK COVER?

A
lot! Always have a professional designer create your cover.

34. WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM?

To
have the Herbert Peabody series
translated into several languages so that children everywhere can share the
magic of growing their own fruit and vegetables.

35. WRITING IS ONE
THING. WHAT ABOUT MARKETING YOU, YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR BRAND? ANY THOUGHTS?

I
am lucky as I have worked in the marketing and advertising industry. I think
completing the manuscript is the very start of an exciting journey. It’s then
up to you to tell people everywhere about your book.

36. ARE YOUR BOOKS
SELF-PUBLISHED?

Yes.

37. DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FIVE WORDS.

Enthusiastic,
motivated, passionate, curious… That’s all I can think of!

38. WHAT PISSES YOU OFF MOST?

People
telling me that I can’t do things!

39. WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THE LAST BOOK
YOU READ? GOOD ONE?

The Woman Who Went To Bed For A Year by
Sue Townsend. It was brilliant!

40. WHAT WOULD BE
THE VERY LAST SENTENCE YOU’D WRITE?

I
hope I never find that out!

41. WHAT WOULD MAKE
YOU HAPPIER THAN YOU ARE NOW? CARE TO SHARE?

Writing
and travelling simultaneously!

42. ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO
ADD?

Always
set time aside for writing. Being deliberate and disciplined cures any writer’s
block!